Will Lovie Open Floodgates?

December 18th, 2014
Do signs point to the Bucs trying to win a shootout with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers?

Do signs point to the Bucs trying to win a shootout with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers?

Joe has already brought word how in games after Aaron Rodgers and the Packers lose, Rodgers plays simply lights out football.

What did the Packers do last week? They lost at Buffalo. Gulp. [read more]

“Can We Win With These Players?”

December 18th, 2014

BuccaneersOlineSane and sober Bucs fans realize Tampa Bay is more than a season away from a legitimate run at a Super Bowl.

A case could even be made that this year’s Bucs have taken a full step backwards. Last year, at least, the Bucs had more wins and were developing a young quarterback. [read more]

Celebrating Stocker

December 18th, 2014
(Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

(Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Surprises of this Buccaneers season include Luke Stocker making the roster, Luke Stocker staying healthy, and Luke Stocker becoming one of the most versatile guys in the offense. [read more]

The Silliness Of The Close-Games Argument

December 18th, 2014

LovieRefereeLast year, the Bucs (4-12) lost three close games to winning football teams, the Saints, Cardinals and Seahawks, by a combined eight points.

This season, Tampa Bay (2-12) has lost just one close game to a winning football team: the Cincinnati Bengals. [read more]

Josh McCown’s Looming Pay Cut

December 18th, 2014

McCownlaughWhat’s Josh McCown worth to the Buccaneers?

Oh, stop. Be nice.

McCown is slated to earn $5.25 million next season, per Rotoworld.com, roughly nine times the salary of Mike Glennon. [read more]

Lovie Likes Glennon On Roster

December 18th, 2014
mike glennon 1001

Bucs QB Mike Glennon discusses his mystery status.

Yesterday seemed to be Mike Glennon Day at One Buc Palace.

The affable and polite Bucs quarterback of the past and quarterback of the future but not quarterback of the present was available to speak with the local pen and mic club. [read more]

Jameis Watch: Bucs Will Pass?

December 17th, 2014

JameisCrab-legs-stealing, BB-gun-shooting, obscenity-hollering, Heisman-Trophy-winning, national champion James Winston, the pride of Florida State University, continues to look like a much better quarterback prospect than Mike Glennon and Josh McCown.

It’s Joe’s daily nugget on the Jameis Watch, celebrating the best quarterback to wear No. 5 ever in the state of Florida. [read more]

“Way Too Much Firepower For Tampa Bay”

December 17th, 2014

myron lewis 1106

Gulp!

In the three games immediately following each of the Packers’ three losses this season, Aaron Rodgers combined to throw 13 touchdowns. [read more]

Leopards Don’t Change Spots

December 17th, 2014
Lovie Smith's defense, (nor the tenancies of his defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier) is foreign to Packers coach Mike McCarthy.

Lovie Smith’s defense (or the tendencies of his defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier) is not foreign to Packers coach Mike McCarthy.

Joe spoke with a fellow member of the Tampa Bay pen and mic club today at One Buc Palace and along came the topic of the Packers and the Bills.

Last week, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers dropped perhaps the biggest No. 2 of his career in an awful, un-Rodgers-like performance in western New York. [read more]

Lovie Endorses Dietrich-Smith For 2015

December 17th, 2014

TrainingCampLovieDietrich

Lovie Smith said “true football fans” can see the Bucs are “on the verge.”

Lovie said he knows the exact steps needed to take next.

And now Lovie has endorsed his starting center as part of that future. [read more]

Today’s Lesson In Misleading Stats

December 17th, 2014
Bucs QB Josh McCown has an Andrew Luck-like stat. No, really.

Bucs QB Josh McCown has an Andrew Luck-like stat. No, really.

Joe knows there is a sect of society that lives in the dark world of stats. Oh, stats can be enlightening alright. They can also be terribly misleading.

Joe learned back in high school folks can twist numbers any which way to reinforce any premise they are trying to float. That’s why Joe is suspicious of the numbers crowd. [read more]

“He’ll Make Any Team A Good Football Team”

December 17th, 2014

Gerald McCoy hasn’t made the Bucs a good football team.

Warren Sapp didn’t make the Raiders a good football team. [read more]

“Adds More Juice To The Game”

December 17th, 2014

Packersfans

Prepare for at least 30,000 cheese-infused, green-clad Packers fans to the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway on Sunday.

Expect it to be as ugly as the Steelers-Bucs game in Tampa in 2010, or the last Bucs playoff game. [read more]

Struggling Josh McCown

December 17th, 2014
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The spreadsheeters put McCown under the microscope

The plight of journeyman Josh McCown as the Bucs’ starting quarterback seems to personify the team’s struggles.

McCown each week proves why he has never been franchise starting quarterback the way he plays Santa Claus with opposing defenses. [read more]

Lovie Confidence Rating Holds Steady At 38%

December 17th, 2014

LovieMcCown

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans appear to have drawn a line in the sand.

Sunday’s second loss to Panthers’ backup quarterback Derek Anderson, the ninth Bucs defeat in the past 10 games, did little to alter public opinion of overlord of football operations Lovie Smith. [read more]

“He’s A Very Raw Player”

December 17th, 2014

Seferian

Bucs fans will want to absorb this breakdown of tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins — from his position coach. [read more]

Adam Schein: Lovie “Overrated”

December 17th, 2014
Popular national sports radio personality Adam Schein is unimpressed

Popular sports radio host Adam Schein is unimpressed

Boy, this holiday season is anything but fun for Bucs coach Lovie Smith. First, he is on the cusp of leading his football team to the worst record in the NFL.

Not bad enough of a season?

He’s even being dragged in to the mess that has become the Bears. [read more]

Tedford Hire Expected This Week

December 17th, 2014

Tedfordcoachinghard

It’s somewhat ironic that Jeff Tedford is about to become head coach of the Candian Football Leagues’ B.C. Lions, per a report in The Province.

Is there a professional football team farther from Tampa on the North American mainland? [read more]

The Unthinkable Statistic

December 17th, 2014

lovie smith 0104Regular JoeBucsFan.com readers know Joe intermittently polls the studio audience here. One poll really stood out back at the start of training camp.

Joe asked fans, “Do you think the Bucs will have a top-10-ranked defense in 2014?” [read more]

Slumpbuster?

December 17th, 2014
Might Packers QB Aaron Rodgers have to change his vow of gameday celibacy with his hottie girlfriend, actress Olivia Munn, after dropping a No. 2 last week in Buffalo?

Might Packers QB Aaron Rodgers have to change his vow of gameday celibacy with his hottie girlfriend, actress Olivia Munn, after shatting the bed last week in Buffalo?

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers might be in a slump. Oh, that is rare for an elite NFL quarterback and a guy who sure seems like his bust in Canton is already made.

Arguably the front-runner for offensive MVP this season, Rodgers had a rare bad game last week in Buffalo, his in recent memory, when he completed only 17 of 42 passes with two picks and no touchdowns in a bad loss for the Packers. [read more]

Unclutch

December 17th, 2014

Marcus Arroyo’s offense has been so bad, it likely has cost the Bucs a playoff berth.

Earlier this week, Lovie Smith declared the Bucs are “on the verge” of turning things around. He cited all the close games the Bucs have lost as evidence.

Was he spinning?

You damned right Lovie was spinning. You think a coach who is on the cusp of the worst record in the NFL is going to throw himself under the bus and take responsibility for such a poorly coached team, a complete and total “F” grade? [read more]